Enjoying – Coolness and Warmness of Fall Season!

Loving fall season!

Fall season is beautiful.  The leaves are turning colors and falling off the trees.  Days are getting cooler and shorter.  It’s time to really enjoy this season before winter arrives.  Making the best of this season with dark mornings, as we leave for work/school, and dark evenings as we get back home, makes it super challenging to enjoy the day.  We still have a decent amount of daylight to enjoy, but how?  Hibernating inside our homes after a whole days work sounds comforting.  But, how about getting out whenever we can – During lunch hour, breaks, and on the weekends – Keeping our focus on soaking in the sunlight whenever possible.  What I’m trying to say is to embrace the cool weather and enjoy the warmness from the sun every possible chance we get!     

Here are five reasons why I think cool weather is cool as I soak-up the warmness:

1. I feel refreshed: The cool crisp air touching my face is an instant boost to my sensory neurons.  It awakens my body, mind and soul.  (I dress in layers to keep my body warm.) 

2. The season’s unique scenery motivates me: The blue sky with golden sun light streaming through bare branches of strong stark trees look majestic and beautiful. (I take many pictures as I walk.)  Walking gives me an opportunity to look at things closely and process visual details…it’s stimulating and motivating.

3. Reminds me to be positive and humble. When I breathe that cool air into my body, every cell in my body feels positive.  I am humbled by how much is given to me, for my existence.  I am humbled by the power of our weather system … changing continuously but yet keeping a firm balance.  The Earth doing its best everyday to hold us up!

4.  My energy level shoots up: How do I know this?  I feel less tired and less stressed; and I can walk longer distance. Thomas gets his body-tension out by rolling on the dry grass.   (Thomas, our family Beagle, loves cool weather…so it works well for both of us.)

 

 

 

5.  Cozying up is cool: After walking, stimulating my brain, and feeding my body, I relax.  My favorite indoor activity is sitting by my fireplace.  I love to wrap myself in a soft blanket and plop on the couch as the wood in my fireplace blazes away.  I enjoy looking at the pictures I took on my walk.  And, seeing Thomas stretched out on the couch…that’s the ultimate enjoyment!

A good read for fall season – Autumn sadness, an article I read on Today show website; another one from Psychology Today about staying healthy in the fall season.  Let’s feel good and enjoy the season change.  I always convince myself to get outside for even 20 minutes, every day.  Out, out, out!  Get that sunshine, breathe-in the cool air, and wake-up the mind, body and soul.

…thank you for visiting Coaching My Life To Healthy… until next time 🙂

My Soulful Stroll!

My being – my mind, body and soul. I feel a delicate, yet, strong aura of connection between my being and everything else around me – The finely course but soft earth I’m walking on; the gentle breeze that’s touching me; the cool water that I’m feeling; and the warm sun ray that’s reaching me from a distance afar – Everything I need to exist in this captured moment – My soulful stroll.

…thank you for visiting Coaching My Life To Healthy … until next time 🙂

Trail Treading – A Good Workout for Me!

I definitely can say that my love for trail treading came easy.  Walking with my beagle, Sir Thomas, prepared me for loving long walks.  So, when it came to going on a real trail, I was ready.  Nervous but ready!  And, ultimately, this trail walking is what prepared me for the hiking trips I’ve taken with my husband and our couple-friend.  One hiking I did recently was – Edmonds Backcountry Trail.

This trail, Laurel Ridge, runs along Lake Lanier, GA.  According to AllTrails, Laurel Ridge Trail is a 4-mile loop trail.  It is rated moderate.  The trail offers scenic views, a number of activity options and is accessible year-round.

Map from AllTrails of Laurel Ridge Trail

Nice starting point. Good shade on a hot sunny day.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Begin walking!  This trail is never too busy.  I like that.  My husband and I have been on this trail several times.  There are few groups of people who are regulars on this trail.  And, some new ones.  Really a good trail!  Family friendly…but no pets allowed.  I wished they were allowed.

 

 

There are several lake views…this is one of them

Crossing one of the several bridges.  This one is the longest.  And, the lake view (above photo) is from this bridge

This is unique to this trail. Short rocky patch of uphill.

A soothing fall.  It’s little but the water cascading sounds amazing.  (This picture is from last fall when I was here)

My husband is making sure the path is free of Poison Ivy for the rest of us.

As summer gets more settled-in, the overgrowth is evident.  It slightly narrows the trail path, but takes away nothing.  Make sure you use bug spray and maybe wear long pants to avoid brushing with Poison Ivy.  This trail is well maintained.  We did not see any Poison Ivy.

Up, up, up, up ….

Here’s another uphill. These steps are a great heart rate boosters.  I wait at the end for my husband and our couple-friend to go all the way up.  Then I race up!  I am breathless at the top with a great sense of accomplishment.  Love it!

Me, by the sign

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Almost finished!  Another 3/4 of a mile to go from this sign.  That’s me….so happy to be almost finished!  Big breakfast awaits 🙂

 

….thank you for visiting Coaching My Life To Healthy…until next time 🙂

Walking: Easy yet Powerful!

Walking!  Easy yet Powerful – I say that because I experience the beauty and power of  it, daily!

I experience soft beautiful mornings on many of my walks.

From the time we wake up to the time we hit the bed, we accomplish our everyday goals through walking.  It is one of the most natural things we do.  When we are working at our desks and need a cup of coffee or a trip to the restroom, we walk to these destinations without giving it another thought.  But, the thought of walking to burn calories just does not come as naturally.  So, how do we make this into an ongoing enjoyable experience?  Weather you walk indoors or outdoors, there are things you can do to make your walking experience a great one.

5-things I do to make my walks enjoyable and sustainable:

1. I walk everyday (unless it’s raining hard or I’m sick) – (You need to build a habit)
2. I make no excuses (unless it’s raining hard or I’m sick)- (You cannot use excuses)
3. I love music (in my car) not on my walks…I listen to birds, airplanes, cars, leaves rustling (You can listen to music if you prefer that…it’s a great motivator – Do what works for you!)
4. I walk with my beagle, Thomas, who is the reason I fell in love with walking – (Walk alone or with buddies. Again, do what works for you!)
5. 

   What works for me? Walking with this guy! For sure! Sir Thomas is a charming fella 🙂

   I look forward to being in the open space and in the nature. I encounter different weather patterns during my walks.  From hot & humid to cold & dry. (You can choose to walk indoors)

Go on! Make your own list of things that you enjoy; and then incorporate some of those in your walks.  Be assured that you will fall in love with your walking.

Walk alone, with friends, with your spouse, your children, or your dog – the main goal here is for you to build a habit to help you enjoy your walk daily.   The only one huge side effect of walking is your own good health!

The Walking Site is a site where you can find helpful information on starting to walk or on advanced walking.  I found it interesting and beneficial and thought to share it with you.  One other site is by Leslie Sansone.  She is considered America’s number one walk expert; and is the creator of the Walk At Home program.  She believes, “Our bodies were made to move, and we can walk our way to health and wellness.”  Walk At Home focuses on indoor walking programs as opposed to The Walking Site which focuses on outdoor.

Enjoy your daily walks!

…thank you for visiting Coaching My Life to Healthy…until next time 🙂

Keeping Active … A Must for Me!

I recall every word my neighbor had said to me when my kids were toddlers, “Enjoy your children, they grow up fast.”  Well, now they are teenagers.  I was so busy caring for my two young children that I did not realize how quickly time flew.  Now, I find myself in my mid-age life.  Thankfully, I have realized that being active is a necessity and not an option for me.

Activities boost my daily life.  I’m as busy as I was before, except in a different way.  As a young mom I took my kids to their different activities.  Now, I take me to different activities.  And, I do them regularly.

1. Daily walk:
   

   Sir Thomas on his walk with me

   Sir Thomas, my beagle, and I walk daily for about 2 miles.  He just turned 8, so he and I are close in age.  I being the younger one here 🙂  He is a great walking partner!

2. Workout:  Gym time is three times a week – Spinning, lifting weights and yoga are my favorites.  I have a no excuse policy.  Unless, there’s a valid excuse, I’m working out.  Everyday is different – I have to listen to my body.  There are days, I crush my workouts; and then there are days it crushes me.  But I keep going.
   

   On the trail with friends

3. Trail and hiking:  On weekends my husband and I end up at our usual 4-mile trail; or hook up with another  couple-friend to go hiking.  Being embraced by nature is invigorating.  Nature is soothing and refreshing.  Leaves me completely relaxed.
4. Logging my food:  I never thought I would ever do this.  I use to think logging food is crazy.  But ever since I downloaded My Fitness Pal, I got addicted to it.  I log 99.9% of the time.  A great tool to check macros – Carb, fat and protein intake.
5. Logging my activities: This too is addictive.  I log my gym activities on my Fitbit app.  It then syncs with My Fitness Pal.   I like to know how many calories I burned.  This gives me an idea of how much I can eat 🙂
6. Writing on my blog:  A great activity!  Through my writing I have made wonderful friends who do amazing things on their blogs.  Writing helps my brain be engaged and focused.
7. Cooking: When I was pregnant or let’s say when I was younger, I had no understanding of what was in my food, especially when it came from a restaurant.  I ate so much junk before.  Now I’m in control.  I cook daily for the most part.  Easy, quick and healthy recipes are my best friend.  It’s healthy eating in my house now…a good lifestyle change, for sure.
   
8. Photography:
   

   My photography

   My Dad loved taking pictures.  He use to entertain us, his family, by putting slide shows.  I use to love watching them with him.   Like him, I too, love photography.  It brings me immense pleasure.

9. Self-improvement:  I, simply trash all clutter from my head.  It’s rejuvenating – it enables me to be aware of my present; helps me be grateful, helpful and cheerful.
10. Sleep and rest:  My goal is to get my 8-hours of sleep.  Resting my body is as important as pushing my body to be active.  Sleeping and resting energizes me for my next activity.

I’m thankful for realizing the importance of taking care of myself.  It helps me be fully available for my family.   Time keeps moving forward and so do we…we keep getting older.  When I’m a 70-year-old lady, I would like to keep continuing being active.  Everything I’m doing now is in preparation for that!

…thank you for visiting my blog…until next time 🙂

5 Things I do AFTER my workouts

After-Workout-Ritual.  I have one!

It’s as important as the workout itself.  As soon as my workout session is over; I gather my mat, gym bag, water bottle, phone and towel; and head towards the locker room.  This is where I do 3 out of the 5 After-Workout-Ritual:

1. I say hello to my gym friends: I need that connection.  I have developed great friendships.  I admire these gym friends.  They work hard toward their fitness goals.  We exchange notes. We celebrate each others successes.  It’s fantastic.  A motivator for me!
2.  I wash my hands thoroughly:   A must!  I lather my hands by rubbing them together with hand-soap.  I scrub my hands for at least 20 seconds.  I just feel that I need to do this after handling  gym equipment.  Besides, the warm water feels  good on my cold hands :).  I found this to be helpful: http://www.webmd.com/skin-problems-and-treatments/safe-workout-tips
3. Put sunscreen:  Once my hands are clean,  I grab my sunscreen from my gym bag.  A nice dab of it gets smeared and massaged on my face and neck.  Next I put some lip gloss with sunscreen in it.

Done!  Time to head out of the gym!  Once home, I’m on to the last two things in my After-Workout-Ritual list.

Protein powered drink.

4. Whey protein drink is in order:  I mix a scoop in 8 ounces of soy milk.  It’s yummy.  I love the taste!  Once I finish my drink…it’s time to get out of my sweaty gym clothes 🙂

Sir Thomas walking on my shadow 🙂

5. Walking with Sir Thomas:  It’s by far the best activity of the day!  Together we walk and enjoy nature.  He marks many spots on the way :).  He lets himself  roll around in the dry wintry grass.  I get so much happiness watching him being happy like this!

Workout is important to me, equally important is my After-Workout-Ritual!  They set my day in the right the direction –  I’m engaged and energized the rest of the day.  I’m able to meet my daily challenges positively.  Ultimately,  my After-Workout-Ritual is a sweet reward for me; it awaits after every workout session.  And, I simply love it!

What do you do for your After-Workout-Ritual?

…thank you for visiting Coaching My Life to Healthy…